It’s Not Me…It’s You

Somewhere, somehow, I fell out of love and I don’t remember when. From an early age I championed Nintendo’s ugly grey boxes over the shinier, more exciting looking Segas, and on to shunning Playstation for the N64 and Gamecube…and it kind of stopped there.  I suddenly realised that my Nintendos and I don’t actually spend as much time together as I promised myself we would.  I practically bought a Wii on autopilot because not to would be grievous betrayal.  Wouldn’t it?

Dustier than memories...

My laziness, apathy, and even depression have admittedly all played a part in eroding the relationship from the heady NES and SNES days onwards.  Certainly, I don’t have the dogged determination with games that I had as a child and I often forget that my Ninty box is there or simply come up with excuses not to spend time with it.  I feel tired somehow, despite the surface glitz and marketing drive.   I don’t want to wait a year between the few great hits that are played out as a sop to the core gamers and I’m fed up defending the company no matter what, despite it’s past treatment of the EU market, female gamers, failure to advertise properly, and blinkered attitude over online gaming, to name but a few reasons.

I don’t bother arguing anymore, instead, I find myself nodding my head sadly when people complain.  In fact, more often than not, I’m all too quick to whisper behind its back and turn the knife.  Ninty though seem to be turning things around…better colour choices on the DS, encouraging fledgling developers with easier access, advertising extensively, etc.  A new energy has evolved somewhere along the line, but sadly, it seems to have come too late for me.

Wavy remote?  Wii? Sounds stupid, I thought; they’re just desperate to get noticed again.  I felt obliged to get one anyway, after all, I’d always been faithful – Nintendo had originality, great exclusives, and ability to deliver explosive gaming memories.  Those moments where you suddenly pause your game as the realisation hits you at just what a stellar game you’re playing are keystone memories which I haven’t had with the Wii.  It isn’t a star performer - there’s not enough character to overcome its looks, and aside from a few greats and the occasional sweaty fumble, it hasn’t reignited the old passion.  So I gave in to temptation and flirted with the 360 and there was a connection.  I’m not just talking the HDMI cable.

Awkward fumbling

My Wii is still around but gets next to no attention, instead it sits perched on a shelf, slowly gathering dust.  The ratio of crap games to good is still badly skewed but it is the piss-poor storage which is perhaps the biggest problem - that and I just don’t like the controls which have opened up a frustrating gulf between us – one which doesn’t exist with other suitors.

Nintendo don’t listen, especially over the storage, but that’s nothing new.  I had always brushed that away because they compensated elsewhere.  The Wii does have flashes of brilliance (so I am told, mainly by people who have stuck in and made the difficult relationship work) and when I experience one myself, I remember why I fell in love with Nintendo in the first place, but it always fades because the foundation has eroded, leaving a wistful ‘if only’.

I was fed up from the start with the Wii and the typically sparse launch lineup, the refusal to get in shape and compete on some level rather than stubbornly doing its own thing and ignoring those who had been faithful through sickness and health.  Even the originality feels strained and contrived at times and the most seductive parts of its arsenal are rehashes of better times with its predecessor.  I found that by hanging onto a faded love, I was kidding myself.  Whatever it was – perhaps my love of the SNES which was a vibrant, great contender, almost representing my youth in a box – is gone.

It has faded into the insipid white box under my TV with too few flashes of genius and an awkwardness in our interactions.  I do enjoy its company sometimes, like an old friend who I haven’t seen in years, but it can never be the same.  I have my 360 now and that is a solid relationship which won’t end any time soon -  It will never hold the place in my heart that Nintendo once did, but it’s rewarding, open, and fun and ultimately I can’t ask for more.  I feel guilty, but sorry Nintendo, all things considered… it’s not me…it’s actually you.

One ring to rule them all